Someone will ask why doesn’t God just let everyone go, so that there is no one destined for hell? Silly question! Even human governments don’t just open the doors of their prisons and let criminals go and live among the rest of society. We already know what it is like to have evil and good mixed together. (Jesus told a parable about it in Matthew 13.24-30). There is no heaven where you have evil mixed in with good. Jesus came to make sure that once and for all, these two are separated. If hearts are not reconciled to God, then you have enemies at work among God’s people trying to undermine righteousness. This is where Satan came in at the outset, deceiving Eve. People must be deliberately broken out of the stronghold of Satan and this involves a complete change of mind.
2 Corinthians 10. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Put away all thoughts that church is something docile – something compliant, non-threatening and “nice”. The church has weapons!
2 Corinthians 6..2 Look, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise.
We Christians must learn to live on a war-footing. Sure, you can have a holiday, but not too much! Of course you can make your home comfortable, but not too much! Of course you can take a promotion at work, but don’t let you job control you! Of course you can fall in love, but let your marriage be a partnership in Christ’s business, not an excuse to become self-centred! Of course you should mourn the loss of your partner when he or she dies, but don’t let that stop you for getting on with God’s calling in your life! Of course you can celebrate birthdays and other happy successes in life, but don’t let your life be controlled by parties! If you are a Christian, you have been called to get involved in Christ’s mission. His mission is to build the church, adding to it by rescuing people from the grips of the evil one. 1 Corinthians 7.29What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
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